Overseaming sewing machine



Dec. 20, 1932. R. L. PLUMLEY OVERSEAMING SEWING MACHINE Filed May 19. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet J.

Dec. 20, 1932. R. L. PLUMLEY OVERSEAMING SEWING MACHINE Filed May 19. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR Rf? wow L. PZ l/ML EX BY W 8 4% R. 1.. PLUMLEY OVERSEAMING SEWING MACHINE Filed May 19, 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR RflY/VOA/D L. PL (/MI. E Y.

- BY W 5. ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1932. R. L. PLUMLEY OVERSEAMING SEWING MACHINE Filed May 19. 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ly to the higher speed capacity of the im-' Patented Dec. 20, 1932' UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE BAYIONB L. ILUHLEY, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBTO FREDERICK OSANN V OOKPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y, A CORPORATION 01! NEW YORK ovnnsnaunro s'Ewme mcnmn Application filed Kay 18, 1987. Serial No. 192,898.

patent with improvements adapted to facilitate its operation at higher speeds than are practically attainable with the machine dis-' closed in my prior patent.

One improvement in this machine over that of my prior patent, forming a part of the present invention and contributing materialproved machine, pertains to the means for supporting the looper and giving the latter its movements in a plane parallel to the line of movement of the needle. The means herein disclosed for the purpose *last referred to are characterized by the easy motion of the various movable parts, by the avoidance of lost motion, and by the range and ease of adjustment of the 100 r pat In theoperation o a high speed sewing machine, proper lubrication is a matter of much practical importance, and my present invention comprises an improved oiling system especially adapted for use in an overseaming machine of the general type disclosed in my prior patent. The present invention also comprises improvements in the work feeding means.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention 3 are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it reference should be had to the accompany,

in drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a embodiment of the invention.

preferred Of the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view with a portion of the casing removed;

Fig. 2 is an elevatlon'in section on the line I Fig. 5 is an elevation taken similarly to i Fig. 2 but on a larger scale and partly broken away, and showing a portion only of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a partial plan in section 'on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a partial section on the line .7 7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional plan taken on the line 88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a section on the broken line 99 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of one of theconnecting rods.

The frame-work or housing of the machine shown in the drawings comprises a main' box-like portion A, a removable front portion A, and a removable top cap portion A.

,The housing is provided with upper and lowjustably secured, as by a set screw'B, to the shaft B, engages the underside of the bearing A. By suitable adjustments of the parts B and B on the shaft B, the proper elevation tained. v

The gear B is driven by a cooperating crown gear D, which is secured to the shaft -of the feed disc C may be secured and main- The gears 13 and D are so constructed and I arranged that when gear I) is rotated in the counter-clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, it rotates the geai B so that the feed disc C is rotated in the counter-clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 1;-but the gear B is incapable of rotating the ear D. In consequence, the gear D forms a 00k which holds the gear B against movement other than its regular feeding movements brought about by the rotation of the gear D. It is unnecessary to describe the character of the teeth on the ears B and D employed to insure the above escribed operation as that forms no part of my present invention, and in this respect the gears B and D may be identical with the similarly designated gears of my prior Pat'- ent No. 897,486.

The gear D is given intermittent rotative movements in the counter-clockwise direction by an oscillating actuating lever E and clutch provisions, now to be described, by means of which the lever E is locked to the gear D when the lever E is turned in the counter-clockwise direction, and is released from'the gear D when turned in the opposite direction. The lever. E is formed with an aperture E through which the shaft D passes. The aperture E is elongated in a direction transverse to the length of the lever E to permit some corresponding transverse play of the lever relative to the shaft D. Associated with the lever E are two clutchparts ea and ea arranged one below and the other above the lever. Each of the two clutch parts is formed at its opposite ends with spaced apart cylindrical bearing surfaces e which fit against the inner wall of a cylindrical flange D formed at the front side of the gear D, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5. The lever E is formed with cam-like projections E and E at its lower and upper sides respectively, which engage bearing surfaces formed on the members ea. and ea respectively. p In the construction shown these bearing surfaces are the parallel upper andlower sides of the members ea and ear. respectively. The cam portions E and E are diametrically opposed to one another, the cam'E being to the left and the cam E to the right of a plane including the axis of the gear D and transverse to the length of the members ea and ea A compression spring 6 acts between the lever E and the right end of the member ea as seen in Fig. 5, and a similar compression spring 0 acts between the other end of the member ea and the lever E. A spring e acts between the left hand end of the part ea, asseen in Fig. 5, and a lug or finger 6' carried by the lever E, in a direction tending to turn the member can about the axis of the gear D in the clockwise direction when the lever E is turned in the clockwise direction, and a similar spring 6' acts similarly between the ri ht hand end of the member ea and a lu or s oulder (3 carried by the lever E. As s own, the lugs e and e. are integral portions of a part c rigidly secured to the member E.

When force is applied to the outer end of the lever member E to turn the latter in the counter-clockwise direction, the cam portions E and E tend to-spread the members ea, and

ea. apart and this creates a frictional engagetribute to the operation just described by nor- I mally holding the corresponding ends of'the members at andea snugly in contact with the flange D so that there is practically no lost motion to be overcome when the initial spreading apart of the members ea and ea, occurs. When themovement of the lever E is reversed, the cam portions E andE cease to press the members ea" and ea apart and the springse and a acting on the endsof the members ea and ea then cause the latter to turn about the axis ofthe member D with the lever E. As shown, the lever E is formed with a slot or groove E in its rear side loosely receiving the flange D, but thereis no operative engagement of the walls of the slot with the flange.

As a safeguard against any tendency of the gear D to rotate in the clockwise direction, as a result of lost motion or otherwise, I advantageously provide a suitable locking device or brake. This, as shown, is in the form of a bar 06 formed with a slot or groove 0 in one side which receives the flange D. The outer end of the bar 66 bears against a stop A carried by the machine housing and a spring 6 tends to hold the brake in the position shown in Figs. 2-and 5 in which the walls of the slot or groove e engage the inner and outer walls of the flange D so as to positively hold the gear D against rotation in the clockwise direction. The spring 6 yields to permit the slight turning movement of the bar eb necessary to permit the flange through a horizontal slot A in the housing A and may be clamped in any desired position in said slot by a nut F The end of the lever F opposite to that connected to the member E is pivotally connected by a pivotpin G to a link G, the upper end of which forms an eccentric strap portion Gr surroundin an eccentric disc H secured to the main riving shaft H of the sewing machine, which is journaled in bearings formed in the housing A.

The outer feed disc C is journaled on a shaft C the lower end of WlllCh is held in a inch socket formed in' the outer end of the ent arm or goose neck I and controlled by the pinch screw I by which a vertical adj ustment may be had of the shaft C and the disc C thereby adjusted with respect to the disc C in the direction of their axes. Above the feed disc C is a member I connected b a screw I to the shaft C The member is provided with a groove I in whlch the needle J travels and is protected. The goose-neck I is secured to parallel rods .1 and I which slide in bearings formed in the housing wall A to move the disc C toward and away from the disc C.

The lower bar I is notched or recessed at I to receive the upper end of an arm 1* secured to a rock shaft I so that the rotation of the latter will move the goose-neck I and thereby move the feed disc C away from or return it towards the feed disc C. The feed disc C is normally urged toward the feed disc C with the desired work holding force by means 0 a tension spring I connected at oneend to the end of a second arm I of the rock shaft I and adjustably secured at its other end to the machine housing by a bolt I". The rock shaft I is turned to move the feed disc C away from the feed disc C by a third arm I secured to the rock shaft I and projecting through a slot A formed in the rear wall of the machine housing. It will be observed that the free end of the arm I moves upward to separate the feed discs C and C. This facilitates the operation by a treadle in the form of a lever of the first class to the rear end of which the arm I is linkcon'nected. This arrangement permits the operator to separate the feed discs by depressing the heel end of the treadle as is practically desirable, because it is the mode of treadle operation which the operators of such machines generally prefer and to which they are ordinarily accustomed, making it unnecessary to employ a rocker lever intermediate the treadle and the arm I as is the case with the machine shown in my patent, 897,486, granted September 1, 1908.

The needle bar J carrying the needle J at its front end is slidingly mounted in bearin s in the front and rear walls of the housing The bar J is given its longitudinal reciprocations by means of an arm U pivotally supported by a shaft U and connected to the needle bar by a link U pivotally connected at one end to the end of the arm U, and at its other end to an arm J adjustably clamped on the needle bar. The arm U is oscillated by a connecting rod W ivotally connected at one end throu h a pin 3 to the arm U at a point interme iate the end of the latter and the shaft U. The other end of the connecting rod W is provided with a split eccentric strap portion W surrounding an eccentric disc W on the main shaft H.

The bent looper M is adjustably secured to a looper bar M by the chuck M carried by the bar M. The looper bar M is rotatively mounted in the movable looper supporting frame or member M In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings, the member M is given its movements by a crank shaft M journaled in a bearing an and provided at one end with a crank arm M carrying a crank pin M which passes through a bearing formed on the member M adjacent the front end of the latter. At its opposite end the crank shaft M has a crank arm M carrying a crank pin M to which is connected one end of a connecting rod M At its opposite end the connecting rod M" is provided with a split eccentric strap portion M fittin about an eccentric crank disc M carried by the main shaft H of the machine. At its rear end the member M is formed with a bearing for a crank pin M carried by a crank arm M having a crank shaft body portion M journaled in the machine housing, or rather, as shown, in a bracket A adjustably secured to the housing member A.

The looper bar M is oscillated about its axis as in my prior Patent No. 897,486, b means of an arm comprising a yoke or hu piortion M detachably clamped on the bar and an extension M carrying a cam roll M 'received in a cam slot M formed in the side of a cam disc M carried by the main shaft H. The cam disc M is advantageously provided as shown, with asuitably disposed counter-balance M and is of suflicient mass to serve as a fly-wheel for balancing or steadying the operation of the machine.

The bearing m is mounted on a bracket portion A of the housing body shaped to provide a seat at its upper side for the bearing member m. As shown this seat is formed with a groove A to receive a rib on the underside of the bearing m guiding the latter in any adjustment on its seat in a direction transverse to the shaft M which it may be desirable to give the bearing. The bearing m, as shown, IS formed with a passageway for the shaft M, and with a horizontal kerf M which extends across said passageway from one side of the hearing so that the bearing may be tightened up' from time to timeto compensate for wear, by drawing the walls at the opposite sides of the kerf toward one another by tightening up the screws M-. The bearing m is secured on its seat by screws M passing through holes in the bearing which i sible adjustment of the looper frame movement and position is obtainable by interposing a shim or shims M of varying thickness between the bearing m and its seat on the bracket A and thereby varyin the elevation of the shaft M. Another a justment of the looper frame may be secured, with the type of construction illustrated, by formin the bracket A with vertically elon ates holes for the screws or bolts M by whic the bracket A is secured to the housing member A. Another looper frame adjustment which may-"be had with the construction illustrated is obtained by adjusting the crank arms M and M an larl with respect to one another about the axis 0 the shaft M by which they are rigidly connected in normal operation.

By means of one or more of the described looper frame adjustments and by the adjustment of the looper M in the chuck M connecting it to the looper bar M it is possible to effect practically any desired adjustment of the movements of the looper frame M and thereby to vary the elevation of the looper 'at either end of its stroke, and to change the timing of the rising and falling movements of the looper relative to the stroke of the needle as may be required in adjusting the machine for the best operating conditions with different kinds or styles of work and different styles and sizes of needles. Of the described adjustments of the looper .frame M the angular adj ustment of the crank arnis M and M and the vertical adjustment of the bracket A are the most important, and are of themselves ordinarily suflicient since they permit of a substantial differential adjustment in a vertical plane of the looper positions at the two ends of its backward and forward movement.

A desirable characteristic of the means shown for giving the looper frame its movements arises from the fact, that, the movements of the crank pin M are along an arc, to which the line of action of the connecting rod M is preferably a tangent when the pin M is approximately at the center of said arc. In consequence, at no point along said are does the tangent at that point make more than a relatively small angle with the plane including the axis-0f the shaft H and the axis of the crank pin M The latter therefore,

' does not approach at all closely to a dead center position and its oscillatory movement is of a character well adapted for high speed operation.

In a machine of the type described, particularly when operated at the relatively high speeds for which the machine is especially designed, the matter of proper lubrication of the various bearing surfaces is of much practical importance. In accordance with the present invention proper lubrication is efiected by providing an oil reservoir X with a multiplicity of outlets X each discharging oil to a the corresponding corresponding ipe Y leading to an oil receiving space ormed in or associated with the particular hearing or bearings receiving oil through said pi As shown, the oil reservoir X is in the f im of a shallow receptacle formed in the cover part A and provided with a hinged cover X. Each reservoir oil outlet X, as shown, is in the form of a hole of proper size formed in the bottom wall of the reservoir X. Each hole X, as shown, is counter-bored or enlar ed at its upper end, and receives in said on air ment a wad or mass Z of felt or the like, y which the oil is filtered, and which serves also to retard the flow of oil through the outlet to the ipe Y connected to the lower end of the ho e. By suitably proportioning the sizes of the enlarged retarding material containing portions of the outlet openings X, a gravity oil discharge at the pro r rate to each of the different bearings may obtained even though one of such bearings may require but a single drop of oil during a period in which another bearing requires twenty or more drops of oil. In general, there is a separate reservoir orifice X and pipe Y for each bearin to be lubricated, and associated with each iearing is a corresponding oil receiving s ace YA into which ipe discharges. The spaces YA referab y contain felt or the like which slow y passes the oil received. Such of the spaces YA as are formed in eccentric straps or other reciprocating arts are suitably elongated. As shown, al the oil employed for lubricating the bearings for the shaft B and for lubricating the gear teeth on the gear B is supplied through a single pipe Y which delivers oil to the upper end of a ent pipe YB secured to the housing framework and having its lower end discharging into a depression A formed in the upper face of the part in which the bearing A is formed at the margin of that bearing. As shown, the shaft B is formed with a groove B in its outer surface leading from the depression A down through the bearing A. In consequence, some of the oil received in the depression A passes down through the groove B and films over the top of the gear B Some of this oil reaches the periphery of the gear and flows down over the teeth'of the gear thereby lubricating the others. Another ortion of the oil reaching the top surface 0 the gear B passes through an opening B formed in the gear, to the bearing surface at the to of the part in which the bearing A is forme Another pipe YC secured to the housing member A and receiving oil at its upper end from a corresponding pipe Y delivers oil at its lower end into a groove U formed in the upper side of the link U by which the lever U is connected to the needle bar J, the oil thus supplied lubricating the pivotal connections at the two ends of the link U. The bearing for the lower end of the lever U is -lubricated by means of oil supplied to the crank receptable or space YA formed in the eccentric strap portion W of the connecting rod W and a channel formed in the latter through which the oil passes from the eccentric bearing surface down to a transverse oil pipe W dischar ing into an oil space U formed in the hu at the lower end of the lever U.

The coo crating bearing surfaces of the in 8 and connecting rod M are lubricate by oil suppliedthrough a channel M in the rod M from the bearing surface of the portion of the rod surrounding the crank disc M To secure the desired oil flow through the channel M which is necessarily inclined upwardly from the crank disc M to the crank in M located at a higher level, the channe, or at least the portion thereof adjacent the bearing for the disc M,

is inclined in 'a certain direction to the plane connecting the axes of the disc M and pin M as shown in Fig. 10. The direction of the inclination is determined by the direction of rotation of the disc M and is such that the centrifugal force action on the oil carried around the axis of the disc M by the rotation of the latter tends to drive the oil into the correspondin end of the channel M. In other words, t e inclination of the channel M is such that its end in the bearing for the disc M faces toward and not away from the direction from which any pointon the periphery of the disc M approaches it.

The rate at which oil is passed through the channel M is increased by the pocket M into which the channel opens formed in the convex bearing wall at the side of the channel from which the oil approaches. The novel lubricating provisions disclosed but not claimed herein are claimed in my application Serial No. 382,860, filed August 2nd, 1929, as a division of this case, and the novel clutch mechanism for imparting its movements to the gear D disclosed but not claimed herein, is claimed in m application Serial No. 382,861, also file August 2nd, 1929, as a division of this case.

While in accordance with the rovisions of the statutes, I have illustrate and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certaln features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-'

1. In a sewing machine for overseaming comprising a supporting structure, a reciption between said member and the tioned crank.

.cran carried by 'said rock-shaft, an operative connection between said second crank and said crank portion, and guiding means engaging said member at a distance from the connection between said member and the first mentioned crank.

2. In a sewing machine for overseaming comprising a supporting structure, a reciprocating needle and a drivin shaft having a crank portion both mounte in said structure, a cooperating looper and a looper supporting member, the improved means for supporting and moving said member comprising a rock-shaft extending transversely to the direction of needle movement, a hearing for said rock-shaft adjustable to move said rock-shaft transversely to its length in vertical and horizontal directions, a crank carried by said rock-shaft and operatively connected to said member, a second crank carried by said rock-shaft, an operative connection between said second crank and said crank portion, and guiding means engaging said member at a distance from the connecfirst men- 3. In a sewing machine for overseaming comprising a supportin structure, a reciprocating needle and a riving shaft having a crank portion both mounted in said structure, a cooperating looper, and a looper supporting member, the improved means for supporting and moving said member comprising a rock-shaft journaled in said structure and extending transversely to the direction of needle movement, a crank carried by said rock-shaft and operatively connected to said member, a second crank carried by said rock-shaft, an operative connection between said second crank and said crank portion, a guiding connection carried by said structure and engaging said member at a distance from the connection between said member and the first mentioned crank, and means for adjusting said guiding connection relative to said structure in a direction parallel to the plane of movement given said member by said rock-shaft and transverse to the general direction of said movement.

4. In a sewing machine for overseaming comprising a supporting structure, a reciprocating needle and a' driving shaft having a crank portion both mounted in said structure, a cooperating looper, and a looper supporting member, the improved means for supporting and moving said member comprising a rock-shaft journaled in said structure and extending transversely to the direction of needle movement, a crank carried by said rock-shaft and operatively connected to said member, a second crank carried by said rock-shaft, an operative connection between said second crank and said crank portion, said cranks being angularly adjustable relative to one another about the axis of said rock-shaft, a guiding connection carried by said structure and engaging said member at a distance from the connection between said member and the first mentioned crank, and means for adjusting said guiding connection relative to said structure in a direction parallel to the plane of movement given said member by said rock-shaft and transverse to the general direction of said movement.

5. In a sewing machine for overseaming, comprising a supporting structure, a reciprocating needle and a driving shaft having a crank portion both mounted in said structure, a cooperating looper, and a looper sup porting frame, the improved means for supporting and moving said frame comprising a rock-shaft journaled in said structure and extending transversely to the direction of needlo movement, a crank carried by said rockshaft and operatively connected to said frame, a second crank carried by said rockshaft, an operative connection between said second crank and said driving shaft crank portion, each of said cranks having an angularly adjustable connection with said rockshaft, and a supporting link having its upper end pivotally mounted in said structure and its lower end pivotally connected to said frame and engaging the latter at a distance from the point of connection of said frame to said first mentioned crank, whereby said frame is bodily tiltable relative to said structure.

(3. In a sewing machine for overseaming, the combination with a supporting structure, a looper, a looper arm connected thereto, a looper frame carrying said looper and looper arm, and a drive shaft, of mechanism for supporting and bodily moving said loopcr frame relative to said structure including a. rock-shaft journalod in said structure and extending transversely of said looper frame, a crank carried by said rock-shaft and journaled in said looper frame, a second crank carried by said rock-shaft and having a crank pin movable in an are having its convex side uppermost, a connecting rod operatively connecting said pin to said drive shaft and arranged with its line of action substantially tangential to said arc when said pin is in the middle of said arc, a supporting link carried by said structure and pivotally connected to said looper frame at a distance from the point of connection of said 100 er frame to said first mentioned crank, an each of said 100 er frame connections being adjustable relative to said structure to vary the position of the looper frame in the plane in which it is movable.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of May, A. D. 1927.

RAYMOND L. PLUMLEY. 

